Pressing machine



Nov. 18, 1924- v1,516,475

D. H. BENJAMIN ET AL PRESS ING MACHINE Filed April 5. 1918 2 Sheets-Shem; 1

Nov. 18, 1924- 1,516,475

D. H. BENJAMIN ET AL PRESS ING MACHINE Filed April 13, 1916 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jar- Patented Nov. 18, 1924.

UNITED STATES 1,516,475 PATENT OFFICE.

oANA n. BENJAMIN, or cLEvnLANnnnrGn'rs, 01110, AN JAmns r. ucc'AB'rnY, or

cnIo oo, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOBS 'ro THE AmEaIcAN LAUNDRY mAcnINEaY com- -r NY;; or Noawoon, 01110, A conroaA'rIoN or one.

PRESSING MACHINE.

Application filed April 3',- 1918. Serial No. 226,508.

To all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that we, DANA H. BENJAMIN and JAMES P. MCCARTHY, citizens of the United States, residing at Cleveland Heights and Chicago, respectively, in the counties of Cuyahoga and Cook, respectively, and States of Ohioand Illinois, respectively, have invented ,certain new and useful Improvements in Pressing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to pressing machines, and particularly to the work supports therefor. The invention is particular- 1y adaptable for use in pressing sweaters,

underwear or other knitted woolen fabrics or articles, but is capable of use with any desired'materials or articles.

In'preming knitted sweaters or-like knitted articles in a pressing machine, the article is usually laid upon av canvas or other fabric support over a yielding pressing bed and while thereon is subjected to the pressure of a heated superposed metal surface.

Sometimes a layer of canvas or padding is interposed between the article and the heated upper surface. Experience has shown that when knitted woolen articles are pressed in this manner the heat and moisture cause the' colors in the article to run, producing undesirable discoloration which materially detracts from the appearance and salability of the articles.- 1 The effect is probably also due to the action of the heated ironing plate exerted through only a canvas layer. Indeed, it is frequently found that an im rint of the threads of the canvas is pr uced upon the fabric of the knitted article, which is an additional detriment to its appearance. v The object of the present invention is to provide suitable means which enables sweatconveniently, but nevertheless without any liability of' producing discolorationmr an imprint of the pressing canvas upon the article. A further object of the invention is to provide suitable means for this purpose which is of simple form and can be readily applied to any form of pressing machine, and. l

articles to be pressed are laid 1n turn upon which in certain types of machine assists in holding the articles to be pressed in the proper shape and form.

- sition.

to expose the lower layers; Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line 3-3, Fig. 2 the cover layer being shown in elevated'positions; Fig. 4 is a plan view of the work supporting member of another form of pressing machine; and Fig. 5 is a cross section, on the line 5)--5, Fig. 4,'and illustrating the two cO-operating pressing members with the cover layer for the garment in elevated po- The invention may be applied with equal facility to various types of, pressing machines. 'F or purposes of illustration, and not in any sense as limiting the invention, Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive show the invention applied to what 'is known as an underwear press. This press, as to most of its features, is of the same form shown in the prior patent to Daniel M. Cooper, granted May 11, 1915, No. 1,139,346, to which reference may be had for a more complete description of said machine. Briefly described the machine comprises a suitable frame 1, having an upper pressing member or head 2 suitably heated, such as by steam introduced to its inner cavity, and which headco-operates withapadded lower pressing memberor bed 3. Thebedmay also be heated in a manner. similar to the head. It is located below and in registry with the head,.and the'work to be pressed is subjected to pressure between said members by relative movement thereof. One of said members 2 and 3, such as the bed 3, is vertically movable relative to the other, the operating mechanism therefor consisting of toggle members 4 connected to a nut 5 actuated by the rotating movement of a'screw 6 operated b the driving gear 7.

As the screw is rota in one direction or the other the toggle is straightened or broken and the bed elevated or lowered along its vertical guides.

For conveniently handling the work the a work holder 8-, which is moved in laterally,'by sliding movement along guides 8,

vas-layer 12 comes next above the of the lower pressing member 3. T

- member 13.

as shown in said- Cooper patent, t o position the articles to be pressed are supported.

When the work support or tray is in position between the pressing members the canpaddin e'wor support, with the articles thereon, is elevated with the lower pressing member into co-operating pressing relation with the head.

For the purposes of this invention, each work support, of which several ma be used witheach machine, is provided wit a cover This member is attached to the work support in such a manner that the articles to be pressed can be readily laid beneath the cover member and upon the canvas layer 12 and the cover member laid down in position above the articles. This effect. can be obtained in any suitable manner, for example, by securing one edge of the cover member to the canvas layer 12 by stitching or by the buttons or button fasteners 14 spaced at intervals along said edge.

The securement of the cover memberto the canvas layer 12 along this edge is preferably permanent but may be detachable if desired. Along its opposite edge the cover member may be connected to the canvas layer 12, such as by snap fasteners 15, so

that it can be rippedloose from the canvas layer along this edge and turned'back to remove or apply articles to be re'ssed.

The cover layer 13 may be 0 any suitable construction for the purpose; its essential characteristic being the provision of a layer 1 of woolen fabric which will contact directly with the knitted articles to be pressed. The

. cover layer for example maybe made entirely 'of woolen fabric, but for strength and durability is shown in the drawings as consisting of a bod layer 16 of canvas to the under surface 0 which is secured, as-by the stitching 17, a layer 18 of woolen fabric.

With the arran ment described the articles to be presse support while the latter is out of range of the pressing members. In this position the cover member is loosened by unfastening the snap fasteners 15 and is turned back to en able the articles to be pressed to be properly arranged on the canvas layer 12. The cover is then turned down and refastened at the fasteners 15. The work support is then moved to position between the pressing members and pressure is applied thereto. While being moved laterally into position between the bed and head the cover member of the are applied to the work work support holds down the folded garments and prevents them from becoming disarranged, -1t being unnecessary to insert the hands near the heated head to adjust disarranged articles. It will, of course, be understood that the articles or the'upper and lower layers of the work'support may be moistened, either by spraying water thereon, or by applying steam thereto, or the articles may be pressed without special moistening as they usually absorb enough moisture from the surrounding atmosphere for pressing purposes. come together the article't'o be pressed is subjected below to the action of the yielding bed and the layer of canvas, while above-itis subjected to the pressure of a heated metal surface through a layer or layers of canvas and the woolen layer 18. As a consequence there is no liability to produce an imprint of thefabric of the canvas upon the garment or to produce discoloration or running of the colors therein.

Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate the invention applied to what is known as a garment press,

When the pressing members which comprises a hollow heated head 20 which co-operates with a hollow heated bed 21, pressure upon 3 an article between said members being produced by relative movement thereof. The upper member may have a plain metal lower surface or, if desired, may be covered with a layer of canvas 22, while the lower member is provided with a padded surface 23 be pressed is laid. ttached to one edge of the lower pressing member is a cover member 24, which may be suitably secured to said edge such as by buttons, hooks or the hke,

as may be most convenient. This cover member may be similar to the one before described and consist of an upper canvas layer 25 to which a wool layer 26 is secured,

and may be provided with suitable means for detachably connecting it to the other edge of the bed, such as the button fasteners 27 L This press is used by placing the garment upon the bed and covering-it with the cover member 24 and then subjecting .the article to pressure between the head'and'bed. The garment is moistened as before either with water or-steam applied in any desired manner, the effect being to press the article wlthout the production-of an imprint of the canvas or discoloration or running of the color in the article.

What we claim is 1. In a pressing machine, a frame, relatively movable upper and .lower pressing members between Which, the work is pressed, the upper member being heated and unpadded, and a woolen layer supported for ar-. rangement between the upper pressing mem= her and the work on the lower pressing member to contact with the upper surface of the upon which the article to work and avoid imprint thereon or discoloration thereof due to heat and pressure.

2. In a pressing machine, a frame, relatively movable upper and lower pressin members between which the work is presse the upper member beingheated and unpad- 3. In a machine for pressing knitted woolen articles, work supporting means including a fabric layer upon which the article is laid, and a cover layer for the article se-' cured along one-edge to said fabric layer and provided with means for detachably connecting it thereto along its opposite edge.

4. In a machine for pressing knitted 'woolen articles, work supporting means including a fabric layer upon which the article is laid, and a cover layer for the article secured along one edge to said fabric layer and provided with means for detachably connecting it thereto along its opposite edge, said cover member having a layer of woolen material to directly engage the article.

5.. In a pressing machine, a work support having a fabric layer to receive the article, and a cover member secured along one edge to said supp'ort and provided with a woolen layer to contact with the article.

6. In a pressing machine, a work support provided with a rigid frame, a work supporting fabric layer secured thereto, and a cover member for the article secured along one edge to said layer.

vIn testimony whereof we afiix our signatures.

' DANA H. BENJAMIN.

JAMES P. MoGARTHY. 

